Method and apparatus for preparation of graphic materials for printing or display

ABSTRACT

MULTILAYER LAYUP SHEETS PROVIDE THE METHOD AND MEANS FOR TEMPORARILY FIXING GRAPHIC MATERIAL DISPOSED ON THE LAYUP SHEETS IN POSITION ON A LAYMARK SUBSTRATE FOR CONVENIENT LAYOUT OF THE GRAPHIC MATERIALS, AND THEN PROVIDE DESIRED PERMANENT FIXATION OF THE LAYUP SHEETS TO THE LAYMARK SUBSTRATE UPON ACTIVATION BY HEAT, PRESSURE, OR THE LIKE, OF AN ADHESIVE DISPOSED ON SUCH LAYUP SHEETS.

Aug. 10, 1971 REX 3,598,678

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARATION 01" GRAP MATERIALS FOR PRINTING OR DISPLAY Filed NOV. 25. 1968 HIC INVENTOR. RICHARD L. REX

gc-wkL A T TORNE Y United States Patent Ofice 3,598,678 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARATION OF GRAPHIC MATERIALS FOR PRINTING R DISPLAY Richard L. Rex, West Lothian, Scotland, assignor to Simpson Taylor and Company Ltd., Edinburgh, Scotland Filed Nov. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 778,543 Claims priority, application Great Britain, May 30, 1968, 26,005/ 68 Int. Cl. B4113 27/00 U.S. Cl. 156299 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The preparation of a page master for olfset-litho printing typically involves the pasting of small pieces of paper bearing text or illustrations onto a substantial backing, or laymark sheet. Two basic processes by which the text can be produced are typewriting and letterpress and each proces yields the same result, namely a black-on-white letter image. A third process, photosetting, can also be employed: photoset text intended for pasting-up on laymarks is in the form of a black-line bromide paper print. Illustrations are normally photo-reduced to a size suitable for the page master: bromide prints of the photo-reduced illustrations are then pasted-up in the same way as are the text pieces. The number of separate pieces of paper to be treated for each camera-ready page master can be very large, depending upon the complexity of page layout and number of type corrections. The standard practice of pasting-up using rubber or wax adhesives is time consuming and can cause serious delays in the printing process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides the method and means for temporarily holding text and illustrations in place on the laymark sheet in such a manner that the operator can slide the separate pieces to their final positions: when, and only when, the final positioning has been effected, all pieces are permanently fixed in a single operation to the laymark sheet. The method used for temporary fixing of the typed copy, illustration, and the like, to the laymark sheet depends upon the principle of magnetic attraction. For this purpose, the paper used in preparation of the copy (text, original artwork and photographic prints) includes a substrate containing evenly distributed particles of magnetic material such as iron powder. To avoid the necessity of special paper mix containing the particles of magnetic material, the paper may be bonded to thin sheet steel, or the magnetic particles may be combined with the adhesive used for permanent fixing, as described below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The single figure of the drawing is a perspective sectional 'view of the multilayer layup sheets shown temporarily arranged on a laymark sheet prior to permanent fixation thereto in accordance with the method and means of the present invention.

Patented Aug. 10, 1971 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a sectional view of a laymark sheet 7 or substrate disposed intermeidate the magnetic material 8 and the layup sheets 9, each comprising a plurality of layers or laminae. Each layup sheet 9 comprises a paper backing sheet 11 which is bonded by suitable means to a layer of magnetic material 13. This magnetic material 13 may be a continuous sheet or foil of magnetic material such as soft iron, nickel, cobalt, or the like, or may be comprised of magnetic particles such as iron powder or iron oxide in a suitable binder. A coating 15 of an activatable adhesive is disposed on the lower surface of the magnetic layer 13 for contacting the laymark sheet 7. The paper backing sheet 11 may have adequate surface characteristics to receive typewritten or printed material thereon, or optionally, may include a surface coating 17 such as a photo-emulsion for providing photographically-produced illustrations or a pigmented coating for providing high-contrast letterpress lmages.

Separate layup sheets 9 containing graphic materials such as text, titles and illustrations may be independently produced by typewriting, by letterpress, by photographic techniques, hand drafting, and the like, prior to final assembly or layout on the laymark sheet 7 in accordance with the present invention.

After cutting, the pieces of copy are positioned on the laymark sheet which is in turn placed on a strongly magnetized plate 8 of surface area equal to or larger than the area to receive copy. Alternatively, the laymark sheet 7 itself may be magnetized and the plate may be dispensed with, or the layer 13 of magnetic material may be magnet- 1zed instead of the plate 8, as previously described. The magnetic attraction is sufiicient to prevent accidental movement of the copy on layup sheets, 9, yet allows easy re-positioning as required.

Any suitable adhesive, such as one activated by pressure or, preferably, by heat at a selected temperature above room temperature, may be used for permanent fixing to the laymark sheet 7 of the copy on the layup sheets 9. For this purpose, the laymark sheet 7 or, preferably, the layup sheets 9 are pre-coated with the activatable permanently-fixing adhesive.

When copy positioning is completed, the assembly of magnetic plate 8, laymark sheet 7 and layup sheets 9 is placed in a press or roller system which activates the adhesive to fix the copy permanently in position on laymark sheet 7. If a heat-activated adhesive is used, the press may be of the type commonly used for dry-mounting photographic prints. In practice, an alternative method of fixing uses a dry-mounting iron having a heated soleplate of fairly large dimensions, say, eight by five inches. This iron avoids the necessity of placing the magnetic plate and laymark sheet and attached copy into a heated press. When the copy is in position, it is simply ironed to established permanent adhesion to the laymark sheet. Thereafter, the laymark sheet 7 with the layup sheets 9 that carry the text, illustrations, and the like, attached to the laymark sheet 7 may be removed from the plate 8 of magnetic material for use as a page master in an offsetlitho printing process. Also, the present method and means may be used in preparing displays, posters, and graphs for direct visual presentation or for purposes other than camera-copy for litho printing.

What is claimed is:

1. Graphic display apparatus for use with a substrate including magnetic material, the apparatus comprising:

a backing sheet having one surface for presenting graphic material and having an opposite surface;

a layer of magnetic material bonded on said opposite surface of said backing sheet for establishing magnetic attraction between the magnetic materials of the layer and a substrate; and

a coating of an adhesive which is activatable in response to a selected physical condition adhered to said layer remote from said one surface of said backing sheet for selectively adhering to a substrate independently of magnetic attraction between the layer and substrate with said one surface of said backing sheet exposed.

2. Graphic display apparatus as in claim 1 wherein:

said layer includes discrete magnetizable particles; and

said adhesive is activatable in response to heat applied thereto above a selected temperature for bonding said sheet and said layer to a substrate.

3. The method of producing layouts of graphic materials for use as printing masters, or the like, using a layup sheet including a layer of magnetizable material and a coating bonded thereto of an activatable adhesive, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning the layup sheet including magnetic material and containing selected graphic material in a selected position on the substrate which includes magnetic material;

retaining the layup sheet in said selected position on the substrate by magnetic attraction between the magnetic materials of said layup sheet and said substrate; and

activating the adhesive to selectably bond the layup sheet on the substrate in said selected position for References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Perkins et a1 156320UX Fischer 156--320 Seymour 15632O Morris 156-320 Stromme 101--382-MV Hollerith 10l382MV Lash l0l-382MV Waiuer et al. 96--67 Gilman, Jr., et al. 96-67 Fox 96-67 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner R. E. HART, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

